AP Literature and Composition Unit 1 Words (LHS)

ominous

unfavorable, threatening, of bad omen

idealistic

believing in the idea of perfection or a perfect world

ambivalent

having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

indifferent

having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned

analogous

comparable to; like

condescending

possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing

Euphemism

An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant

evoke

to call forth

objective

the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)

admonition

a firm rebuke

alienated

distanced, estranged

Allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

aloof

not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant

ardor

intense and passionate feeling

assert

(v.) to declare or state as truth, maintain or defend, put forward forcefully

bemuse

to confuse or bewilder

brevity

briefness

despondent

in low spirits from loss of hope or courage

didactic

instructive (especially excessively)

exploit

to take advantage of

foreboding

a feeling that something bad will happen

indulgent

yielding to the wishes or demands of others

lament

a cry of sorrow and grief

moralistic

characterized by a narrow and conventional moral attitude

pragmatic

practical, as opposed to idealistic

profound

Having great depth or seriousness

profundity

great depth of intellect, feeling, or meaning

prosperous

Successful and wealthy

resign

to accept as inevitable; to give up

Satire

witty language used to convey insults or scorn

scathing

marked by harshly abusive criticism

Secular

Concerned with worldly rather than spiritual matters

sinister

evil

abject

of the most contemptible kind

adversary

an enemy, opponent

Advocacy

support of an idea or cause

aesthetic

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty

Ambiguity

The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

anecdotal

based on personal accounts rather than facts or research

Antithesis

exact opposite

apprehension

anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen

aspiration

a strong desire for achievement

autonomy

political independence

benevolence

desire to do good to others

censure

harsh criticism or disapproval

chastise

censure severely

concession

the act of yielding

contemplative

thoughtful, reflective, meditative

contemptuous

showing contempt; scornful

cynical

believing that people act only out of selfish motives

deity

a god; a divine being

demean

To cause a lowering of self-esteem; to lower in reputation or character.

discursive

rambling, lacking order

disparate

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

dissipation

breaking up and scattering by dispersion

dramatize

(v.) put into dramatic form

empathy

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

enigma

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

estranged

caused to be unloved

exalt

to glorify